David Chen, Jeff Cannata, Peter Sciretta, and Germain Lussier reconvene to discuss the results of their 2017 box office summer movie wager results. Did David make a catastrophic mistake by ranking Despicable Me 3 as his #1 or did the surprise that was Wonder Woman help him leverage a win over the Guardians Vol. 2 Ravagers? […]
The post The 2017 Summer Movie Wager Results and Podcast appeared first on /Film.
The post The 2017 Summer Movie Wager Results and Podcast appeared first on /Film.
- 9/6/2017
- by Peter Sciretta
- Slash Film
[Editor’s note: Spoilers for “Game of Thrones” Season 7, through the finale, follow.]
The Season 7 finale of “Game of Thrones” brought with it one big death (Lord Baelish, we hardly knew ye), a big reveal (Jon Snow’s real name, in fact, is Aegon Targaryen), and a big scary ice dragon destroying the Wall protecting Westeros from the North.
It’s all leading up to the show’s final chapter, which we’ll see when it… eventually… premieres. Here’s what do we know right now about Season 8, based on reports and interviews with the cast and producers.
Pre-Production Has Already Begun in Northern Ireland
This is per the site The Watchers on the Wall, which also spotlighted some photos taken by a reader of construction happening right now.
Production Begins In October 2017
This is according to Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, who told Collider that he’ll be back on the set then. If the filming lasts the same length of time as previous seasons,...
The Season 7 finale of “Game of Thrones” brought with it one big death (Lord Baelish, we hardly knew ye), a big reveal (Jon Snow’s real name, in fact, is Aegon Targaryen), and a big scary ice dragon destroying the Wall protecting Westeros from the North.
It’s all leading up to the show’s final chapter, which we’ll see when it… eventually… premieres. Here’s what do we know right now about Season 8, based on reports and interviews with the cast and producers.
Pre-Production Has Already Begun in Northern Ireland
This is per the site The Watchers on the Wall, which also spotlighted some photos taken by a reader of construction happening right now.
Production Begins In October 2017
This is according to Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, who told Collider that he’ll be back on the set then. If the filming lasts the same length of time as previous seasons,...
- 8/28/2017
- by Liz Shannon Miller
- Indiewire
Joanna Robinson and David Chen recap episodes 11 and 12 of Twin Peaks: The Return. Check out Ben Pearson’s recap of the ep 12 here. Find more episodes of the podcast at peakstv.com. Feel free to email us your theories at peakstv(At)gmail.com. Play Now in your Browser: Subscribe to Peaks TV:
The post Peaks TV S3E11-12 – “There’s fire where you are going.” appeared first on /Film.
The post Peaks TV S3E11-12 – “There’s fire where you are going.” appeared first on /Film.
- 8/1/2017
- by David Chen
- Slash Film
Peaks TV is a new podcast from David Chen and Joanna Robinson. Every two weeks, we’ll be recapping the latest episodes of Twin Peaks: The Return on Showtime. This week, we recap the 9th and 10th episodes of season 3. Be sure to check out Ben Pearson’s recap of this week’s episode. Also see Indiewire’s take on […]
The post Peaks TV S3E09-10 – “The glow is dying.” appeared first on /Film.
The post Peaks TV S3E09-10 – “The glow is dying.” appeared first on /Film.
- 7/21/2017
- by David Chen
- Slash Film
The end seems to be drawing ever nearer for Game of Thrones. I say that to emphasize the “seems” aspect, for as time goes on, it almost feels like the show is getting farther and farther away from ending. Season 7 was already pushed back a bit, and HBO even said there’s a possibility that Season 8 will get pushed back to 2019 if it would result in a better product. As such, we have a potential for another solid two years of Game of Thrones.
And that’s not even the most of it. The runtimes for all the Season 7 episodes have come in, and while we have a lot less episodes this year than in previous ones, each episode is running longer — with the finale set to hit HBO at an astounding 82 minutes long. Believe it or not, that’s technically the length of a feature! But if you thought that would be an outlier,...
And that’s not even the most of it. The runtimes for all the Season 7 episodes have come in, and while we have a lot less episodes this year than in previous ones, each episode is running longer — with the finale set to hit HBO at an astounding 82 minutes long. Believe it or not, that’s technically the length of a feature! But if you thought that would be an outlier,...
- 7/3/2017
- by Joseph Medina
- LRMonline.com
Peaks TV is a new podcast from David Chen and Joanna Robinson. Every two weeks, we’ll be recapping the latest episodes of Twin Peaks: The Return on Showtime. This week, we recap the 5th and 6th episodes of season 3 of Twin Peaks. Be sure to check out Joanna’s interview with Chrysta Bell and Ben Pearson’s recap of […]
The post Peaks TV S3E05-06 – “Wake up. Don’t Die.” appeared first on /Film.
The post Peaks TV S3E05-06 – “Wake up. Don’t Die.” appeared first on /Film.
- 6/15/2017
- by David Chen
- Slash Film
Peaks TV is a new podcast from David Chen and Joanna Robinson. Every two weeks, we’ll be recapping the latest episodes of Twin Peaks: The Return on Showtime. This week, a special double episode: A recap of season 3 episodes 1-4 are below, broken out into two separate podcast episodes for your listening convenience. Be sure […]
The post Peaks TV is here to recap ‘Twin Peaks: The Return’ appeared first on /Film.
The post Peaks TV is here to recap ‘Twin Peaks: The Return’ appeared first on /Film.
- 5/24/2017
- by David Chen
- Slash Film
David, Devindra and Jeff delve into the new Twin Peaks and get impressed by the Seattle International Film Festival’s 2017 program. Also: Come see Stephen Tobolowsky and David Chen live this Sunday, May 28th! Details here. You can always e-mail us at slashfilmcast(At)gmail(Dot)com, or call and leave a voicemail at 781-583-1993. Also, like us on Facebook! Download or Play Now: Subscribe to […]
The post /Filmcast Ep. 419 – Alien: Covenant appeared first on /Film.
The post /Filmcast Ep. 419 – Alien: Covenant appeared first on /Film.
- 5/23/2017
- by David Chen
- Slash Film
David D’Amato, the central “villain” of the popular 2016 documentary film Tickled, has passed away at age 55. The movie was one of David Chen’s best films of 2016 and I recently caught up with it when it hit HBO. I’m not sure Tickled is a great film, but it’s certainly compelling, weird, and a must-watch. […]
The post David D’Amato, The Villain of The Must-Watch Documentary ‘Tickled’, Has Died appeared first on /Film.
The post David D’Amato, The Villain of The Must-Watch Documentary ‘Tickled’, Has Died appeared first on /Film.
- 3/20/2017
- by Peter Sciretta
- Slash Film
This is splendid. YouTube channel Burger Fiction has put together a beautiful compilation video of every Best Cinematography winner at the Oscars from 1927 to 2015, when it was award to Emmanuel Lubezki of The Revenant, a back-to-back win after Birdman. For admirers of cinematography, this is a breathtaking and awe-inspiring video. And it just makes me want to watch everything all over again. From Cleopatra, The Thief Of Bagdad, Ben-Hur, Doctor Zhivago, Dance With Wolves, Braveheart, The Aviator, Couching Tiger Hidden Dragon, There Will Be Blood to Inception, there's so many excellent films awarded in this category. Thanks to David Chen fro the tip on this. Originally from YouTube, made by Burger Fiction. For the full list of all the Best Cinematography winners seen in this, visit their Tumblr. The Best Cinematography category has been around since the very beginning. From 1939 to 1967 (with the exception of 1957), there were also separate awards...
- 2/3/2017
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
After the inauguration of President Donald Trump on Friday, women’s marches were held all over the world, with people traveling long distances to Washington, D.C., or walking in their hometowns.
And it wasn’t just those of voting age who marched. Plenty of kids came out to participate, too — and they brought with them some of the best signs from the marches.
Like this kid, who knows that sometimes, words just aren’t enough.
The cuteness. Photo by Jenny Sowry. #WhyIMarched #WomensMarch #womensrights #womensrightsarehumanrights pic.twitter.com/igSIceFIT8
— Alvin Irby (@AlvinIrby) January 22, 2017
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Or this kid,...
And it wasn’t just those of voting age who marched. Plenty of kids came out to participate, too — and they brought with them some of the best signs from the marches.
Like this kid, who knows that sometimes, words just aren’t enough.
The cuteness. Photo by Jenny Sowry. #WhyIMarched #WomensMarch #womensrights #womensrightsarehumanrights pic.twitter.com/igSIceFIT8
— Alvin Irby (@AlvinIrby) January 22, 2017
//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Or this kid,...
- 1/23/2017
- by Diana Pearl
- PEOPLE.com
Sometimes humans can be terrible at predicting things, but that doesn’t mean we can’t have fun when we try. My previous attempts to predict my favorite films of the year are often wildly inaccurate — inevitably, my actual favorite films of the year will contain lots of entries that I couldn’t have possibly foreseen. That being said, for […]
The post David Chen’s Most Anticipated Films of 2017 [Podcast] appeared first on /Film.
The post David Chen’s Most Anticipated Films of 2017 [Podcast] appeared first on /Film.
- 1/12/2017
- by David Chen
- Slash Film
This is a year where you had to work to see great films. Unlike last year, the vast majority of my favorite movies of 2016 weren’t movies that received wide releases, nor were they films that earned over $50 million at the box office. Instead, they were often quieter releases that I had to read up on […]
The post David Chen’s Top 10 Films of 2016 appeared first on /Film.
The post David Chen’s Top 10 Films of 2016 appeared first on /Film.
- 12/23/2016
- by David Chen
- Slash Film
/Film’s David Chen has said that half of his top ten list this year will probably be populated by documentaries. There have been some real fantastic documentary films in 2016, and I want to add a new one to your to-do list. It is called Magicians: Life in the Impossible. Yes, the title is so […]
The post See the Trailer for the Best Magic Movie of the Year, Then Go Watch the Film appeared first on /Film.
The post See the Trailer for the Best Magic Movie of the Year, Then Go Watch the Film appeared first on /Film.
- 11/17/2016
- by Peter Sciretta
- Slash Film
David Chen and Joanna Robinson recap the sixth episode of the first season of Westworld, “The Adversary.” Be sure to see David’s video essay about the multiple timeline theory, and Joanna’s breakdown of the biggest mysteries behind Westworld. Find more episodes of the podcast at decodingwestworld.com. Feel free to email us your theories at decodingwestworld(At)gmail.com. Play […]
The post Decoding Westworld S1E06 – The Adversary appeared first on /Film.
The post Decoding Westworld S1E06 – The Adversary appeared first on /Film.
- 11/9/2016
- by David Chen
- Slash Film
Westworld Episode 6 “The Adversary” aired last night on HBO, and immediately afterward I hopped on Periscope with David Chen to have an informal conversation about the episode. David Chen, as you probably know, runs the popular Decoding Westworld podcast which every week provides a great in-depth and thought-provoking analysis. We are not doing that […]
The post Video: Westworld Episode 6 Discussion With David Chen appeared first on /Film.
The post Video: Westworld Episode 6 Discussion With David Chen appeared first on /Film.
- 11/7/2016
- by Peter Sciretta
- Slash Film
David Chen and Joanna Robinson recap the fifth episode of the first season of Westworld, “Contrapasso.” Also, David interviews Vincenzo Natali, director of last week’s episode, “Dissonance Theory.” Be sure to read Joanna’s new theory about the two timelines, Matt Singer’s recap of the episode, Alan Sepinwall’s thoughts on the dangers of twist-based storytelling, and […]
The post Decoding Westworld S1E05 – Contrapasso (Plus Bonus Ep. with Director Vincenzo Natali) appeared first on /Film.
The post Decoding Westworld S1E05 – Contrapasso (Plus Bonus Ep. with Director Vincenzo Natali) appeared first on /Film.
- 11/1/2016
- by David Chen
- Slash Film
David Chen and Joanna Robinson recap the fourth episode of the first season of Westworld, “Dissonance Theory.” Be sure to read how the Man in Black is a bad gamer. Find more episodes of the podcast at decodingwestworld.com. Feel free to email us your theories at decodingwestworld(At)gmail.com. Play Now in your Browser: Subscribe to Decoding […]
The post Decoding Westworld S1E04 – Dissonance Theory appeared first on /Film.
The post Decoding Westworld S1E04 – Dissonance Theory appeared first on /Film.
- 10/25/2016
- by David Chen
- Slash Film
David Chen and Joanna Robinson recap the third episode of the first season of Westworld, “The Stray.” Be sure to read Jacob’s recap of the episode, Joanna’s recap of the episode, and 5 theories about Arnold. Find more episodes of the podcast at decodingwestworld.com. Feel free to email us your theories at decodingwestworld(At)gmail.com. Play Now […]
The post Decoding Westworld S1E03 – The Stray appeared first on /Film.
The post Decoding Westworld S1E03 – The Stray appeared first on /Film.
- 10/18/2016
- by David Chen
- Slash Film
David Chen and Joanna Robinson are launching a new podcast about the HBO original series WestWorld! In this episode, they review the second episode of the first season, “Chestnut.” Find more episodes of the podcast at decodingwestworld.com. Feel free to email us your theories at decodingwestworld(At)gmail.com. Play Now in your Browser: Subscribe to Decoding Westworld:
The post Decoding Westworld S1E02 – Chestnut appeared first on /Film.
The post Decoding Westworld S1E02 – Chestnut appeared first on /Film.
- 10/12/2016
- by David Chen
- Slash Film
David Chen, Jeff Cannata, Peter Sciretta, and Germain Lussier reconvene to discuss the results of their 2016 box office summer movie wager results. Did Peter take it all by betting his money on Finding Dory over Captain America: Civil War? Below, you’ll find the actual box office rankings for this summer, as well as Dave, […]
The post The 2016 Summer Movie Wager: Results and Podcast appeared first on /Film.
The post The 2016 Summer Movie Wager: Results and Podcast appeared first on /Film.
- 10/7/2016
- by Peter Sciretta
- Slash Film
In a time when each individual has the power to post their opinions to a readership of friends and followers, where do the certified critics fit in?
To address the changing landscape of critic culture and journalism, the Seattle International Film Festival recently hosted a panel made up of some of today’s biggest reviewers from both print and online. Panelists included Associated Press film writer Lindsey Bahr, David Chen from /Film, John DeFore of The Hollywood Reporter and Time Magazine’s Sam Lansky, moderated by IndieWire’s own chief critic and deputy editor Eric Kohn.
Here are the five most intriguing insights from the discussion.
1. The Critic Is Still Important
Even though it may seem like your Facebook feed is flooded with your uncle’s personal opinions on the latest comic book franchise, the official critic is still king.
Of his position at a major publication, Lansky said, “I feel a sense of obligation to make sure that there is a breadth of coverage with what we do, both in the magazine and on dot com. For what we do at Time, we’re reaching a pretty broad readership. I want to make sure the big tentpole movies that readers are inclined to see and have the most the most access to, that those films are going to get reviewed and covered in a way that is going to be meaningfully useful to them so that they can decide what to do with their time off.”
Bahr and Defore both agreed that there was a sense of obligation in print to cover big movies, due to their publishers’ roles as a news provider and a trade, respectively. However, Lansky later offered that this obligation came with an opportunity to spotlight lesser known independent films. While those smaller movies might not be playing nationally in big cineplexes, per Lansky, there are now “different distribution platforms that weren’t available even ten years ago.”
2. Even Indie Has to Make Some Concessions
On the other hand, independent film blogs like Chen’s own Slashfilm.com have more freedom to cater to their specific interests. However, Chen did admit that “in order to exist and in order to pay people, every article in some way needs to justify itself, either for our brand or from a financial standpoint.”
“A lot of the festival stuff that we do is just a labor of love,” he added.
Read More: Exclusive: Seattle International Film Festival Awards $50,000 Grants to Two Documentaries on Aging
3. The Form Is Changing Now
Internet content consumption is changing the way cinema is represented online.
“Reviews, on our site, generally don’t do as well. They want to read top ten lists, or they want to read about factoids that they can bring up at parties and stuff,” Chen said. “That might sound like it’s a horrifying devolution of our craft, but I wouldn’t put it that way myself. I would say it has its own kind of place in the ecosystem.”
Kohn chimed in, too, commenting on IndieWire’s various adaptations and incarnations over the past twenty years. “One of the things that we realized is that you can’t get away with ignoring the bigger titles. We talk a lot about how do we justify running a story on something like ‘Star Wars,’ and ultimately it comes down to a sensibility,” he said. “How are you going to talk about something someone is going to care about even if they do want to talk about smaller movies, even if they do care about these other kinds of things? We’re constantly wrestling with that because it’s impossible for us to ignore these kinds of things.”
4. Prestige Fatigue Is Real
There is a perception of a certain type of feature that is a “critic’s movie.” Generally coming out in the fall after a barrage of action-packed blockbusters, Oscar season itself can become an onslaught of serious films.
Lansky remembered, “Last awards season it just felt like I have never seen as many movies as I did as when I was screening for our fall arts preview.” This made “Dumpuary” (the month of January when studios debut the projects that they have no idea what to do with) all the more a relief when he got to see the comically serious lust film “The Boy Next Door” starring Jennifer Lopez.
Bahr added, “I hate the tyranny of the seasons. I think it dictates the conversation in a really unhealthy way, and things start feeling really repetitive. And if you’re in Oscar season and it’s like an awful self-fulfilling prophecy. We’re talking about Oscar season, so it’s like ‘we can only talk about movies that are going to be Oscar contenders’ because that it ostensibly what people care about.”
Read More: Review: ‘The Revenant’ is Brilliantly Directed, But Does That Make It a Great Movie?
5. Repetitive Stories Can Be a Real Bear
The panel remembered the constant retelling of the story surrounding the bear in “The Revenant.” In perhaps an attempt to change the conversation about the movie having a terrible production period, the focus shifted to talking about the level of intensity and commitment it took to film the infamous bear attack scene. During awards season this seemed to be the only story given to reporters as it slogged from publication to publication.
But Chen learned a different lesson from a bear based off of the economic theory called the “tragedy of the commons.” The basic concept is that things that can benefit one person end up depleting resources or hurting everyone.
Chen said, “a good example is the bear. I don’t know if everyone remembers – this story isn’t going where you think it is. Shortly before ‘The Revenant’ came out, but after many critics had already seen it, Matt Drudge published a report saying that Leonardo DiCaprio gets raped by a bear in ‘The Revenant.'” The story spread like wildfire. “Of course all of us who had seen the film knew that this was fiction. It was false,” he continued. “It was quickly disproved, but I bring all that up because every story that talked about how Leonardo DiCaprio didn’t get raped, they would mention Matt Drudge. They would link to Matt Drudge. And that’s a benefit that gives him a lot of traffic. It gives him a lot of Seo from Google. We’re in a situation now where people can just make things up. And then you get a ton of traffic for making things up. Then when you go back and retract it, you get a ton of traffic for retracting it.”
This story is demonstrative of the issue with the Internet and clickbait-driven traffic. “That’s how– at least sites like mine – make money. So the incentives are all messed up. People are incentivized to be outrageous and not super accurate.”
Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our email newsletters here.
Related storiesLeonardo DiCaprio Investing In Software Company Qloo, To Help Media Industry Cater To Consumers'Everything Wrong With The Revenant' Viral Video Pokes Fun at the Oscar-Winning Film -- WatchLeonardo DiCaprio Eyed to Play Persian Poet Rumi in Oscar-Winning Screenwriter's Biopic, Prompting Whitewashing Backlash...
To address the changing landscape of critic culture and journalism, the Seattle International Film Festival recently hosted a panel made up of some of today’s biggest reviewers from both print and online. Panelists included Associated Press film writer Lindsey Bahr, David Chen from /Film, John DeFore of The Hollywood Reporter and Time Magazine’s Sam Lansky, moderated by IndieWire’s own chief critic and deputy editor Eric Kohn.
Here are the five most intriguing insights from the discussion.
1. The Critic Is Still Important
Even though it may seem like your Facebook feed is flooded with your uncle’s personal opinions on the latest comic book franchise, the official critic is still king.
Of his position at a major publication, Lansky said, “I feel a sense of obligation to make sure that there is a breadth of coverage with what we do, both in the magazine and on dot com. For what we do at Time, we’re reaching a pretty broad readership. I want to make sure the big tentpole movies that readers are inclined to see and have the most the most access to, that those films are going to get reviewed and covered in a way that is going to be meaningfully useful to them so that they can decide what to do with their time off.”
Bahr and Defore both agreed that there was a sense of obligation in print to cover big movies, due to their publishers’ roles as a news provider and a trade, respectively. However, Lansky later offered that this obligation came with an opportunity to spotlight lesser known independent films. While those smaller movies might not be playing nationally in big cineplexes, per Lansky, there are now “different distribution platforms that weren’t available even ten years ago.”
2. Even Indie Has to Make Some Concessions
On the other hand, independent film blogs like Chen’s own Slashfilm.com have more freedom to cater to their specific interests. However, Chen did admit that “in order to exist and in order to pay people, every article in some way needs to justify itself, either for our brand or from a financial standpoint.”
“A lot of the festival stuff that we do is just a labor of love,” he added.
Read More: Exclusive: Seattle International Film Festival Awards $50,000 Grants to Two Documentaries on Aging
3. The Form Is Changing Now
Internet content consumption is changing the way cinema is represented online.
“Reviews, on our site, generally don’t do as well. They want to read top ten lists, or they want to read about factoids that they can bring up at parties and stuff,” Chen said. “That might sound like it’s a horrifying devolution of our craft, but I wouldn’t put it that way myself. I would say it has its own kind of place in the ecosystem.”
Kohn chimed in, too, commenting on IndieWire’s various adaptations and incarnations over the past twenty years. “One of the things that we realized is that you can’t get away with ignoring the bigger titles. We talk a lot about how do we justify running a story on something like ‘Star Wars,’ and ultimately it comes down to a sensibility,” he said. “How are you going to talk about something someone is going to care about even if they do want to talk about smaller movies, even if they do care about these other kinds of things? We’re constantly wrestling with that because it’s impossible for us to ignore these kinds of things.”
4. Prestige Fatigue Is Real
There is a perception of a certain type of feature that is a “critic’s movie.” Generally coming out in the fall after a barrage of action-packed blockbusters, Oscar season itself can become an onslaught of serious films.
Lansky remembered, “Last awards season it just felt like I have never seen as many movies as I did as when I was screening for our fall arts preview.” This made “Dumpuary” (the month of January when studios debut the projects that they have no idea what to do with) all the more a relief when he got to see the comically serious lust film “The Boy Next Door” starring Jennifer Lopez.
Bahr added, “I hate the tyranny of the seasons. I think it dictates the conversation in a really unhealthy way, and things start feeling really repetitive. And if you’re in Oscar season and it’s like an awful self-fulfilling prophecy. We’re talking about Oscar season, so it’s like ‘we can only talk about movies that are going to be Oscar contenders’ because that it ostensibly what people care about.”
Read More: Review: ‘The Revenant’ is Brilliantly Directed, But Does That Make It a Great Movie?
5. Repetitive Stories Can Be a Real Bear
The panel remembered the constant retelling of the story surrounding the bear in “The Revenant.” In perhaps an attempt to change the conversation about the movie having a terrible production period, the focus shifted to talking about the level of intensity and commitment it took to film the infamous bear attack scene. During awards season this seemed to be the only story given to reporters as it slogged from publication to publication.
But Chen learned a different lesson from a bear based off of the economic theory called the “tragedy of the commons.” The basic concept is that things that can benefit one person end up depleting resources or hurting everyone.
Chen said, “a good example is the bear. I don’t know if everyone remembers – this story isn’t going where you think it is. Shortly before ‘The Revenant’ came out, but after many critics had already seen it, Matt Drudge published a report saying that Leonardo DiCaprio gets raped by a bear in ‘The Revenant.'” The story spread like wildfire. “Of course all of us who had seen the film knew that this was fiction. It was false,” he continued. “It was quickly disproved, but I bring all that up because every story that talked about how Leonardo DiCaprio didn’t get raped, they would mention Matt Drudge. They would link to Matt Drudge. And that’s a benefit that gives him a lot of traffic. It gives him a lot of Seo from Google. We’re in a situation now where people can just make things up. And then you get a ton of traffic for making things up. Then when you go back and retract it, you get a ton of traffic for retracting it.”
This story is demonstrative of the issue with the Internet and clickbait-driven traffic. “That’s how– at least sites like mine – make money. So the incentives are all messed up. People are incentivized to be outrageous and not super accurate.”
Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our email newsletters here.
Related storiesLeonardo DiCaprio Investing In Software Company Qloo, To Help Media Industry Cater To Consumers'Everything Wrong With The Revenant' Viral Video Pokes Fun at the Oscar-Winning Film -- WatchLeonardo DiCaprio Eyed to Play Persian Poet Rumi in Oscar-Winning Screenwriter's Biopic, Prompting Whitewashing Backlash...
- 6/16/2016
- by Sarah Colvin
- Indiewire
You don’t have to be a fan of a movie to dig a great movie poster. With the internet currently embroiled in the great Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice war (our own Peter Sciretta is on the side of the dissenters, as is David Chen), the good folks at Mondo has offered an olive […]
The post Mondo Reveals ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ Poster From Ken Taylor appeared first on /Film.
The post Mondo Reveals ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ Poster From Ken Taylor appeared first on /Film.
- 3/25/2016
- by Jacob Hall
- Slash Film
David Chen and Joanna Robinson are rewatching season 1 of Game of Thrones…and reading along with the books this time! We’ll be releasing a new episode every week for the next 10 weeks, each corresponding with an episode from season 1. Hit the jump to listen to the episode explaining how to follow along (and download the […]
The post Announcing A Cast of Kings: Season 1 Rewatch and Book Club appeared first on /Film.
The post Announcing A Cast of Kings: Season 1 Rewatch and Book Club appeared first on /Film.
- 10/1/2015
- by David Chen
- Slash Film
David, Devindra, and Jeff discuss what was hot at this year’s E3, praise the new Netflix redesign, and discuss how to choose design rewards on Kickstarter. You can back David Chen’s new Kickstarter here. Be sure to read Vince Mancini’s review of Inside Out, The La Times’ review of Jaws, and Matt Singer’s ranking of Jurassic Park […]
The post /Filmcast Ep. 323 – Inside Out appeared first on /Film.
The post /Filmcast Ep. 323 – Inside Out appeared first on /Film.
- 6/22/2015
- by David Chen
- Slash Film
David, Devindra, and Jeff discuss two movies that are ideologically opposed on their views on sex work, delve into the Wachowskis’ latest work on Netflix, and discuss the controversy over Cameron Crowe’s latest film. Also, you can back David Chen’s new Kickstarter here. You can always e-mail us at slashfilmcast(At)gmail(Dot)com, or call and leave a […]
The post /Filmcast Ep. 321 – Spy appeared first on /Film.
The post /Filmcast Ep. 321 – Spy appeared first on /Film.
- 6/9/2015
- by David Chen
- Slash Film
Complete list of winners and nominees of the 2014 Grammy Awards, held in Los Angeles at the Staples Center on Sunday February 8. Winners will be updated as they're announced during the telecast and pre-telecast. Record Of The Year “Fancy,” Iggy Azalea Featuring Charli Xcx “Chandelier,” Sia **Winner** “Stay With Me (Darkchild Version),” Sam Smith “Shake It Off,” Taylor Swift “All About That Bass,” Meghan Trainor Album Of The Year **Winner** “Morning Phase,” Beck “Beyoncé,” Beyoncé “X,” Ed Sheeran “In The Lonely Hour,” Sam Smith “Girl,” Pharrell Williams Song Of The Year “All About That Bass,” Kevin Kadish & Meghan Trainor, songwriters (Meghan Trainor) “Chandelier,” Sia Furler & Jesse Shatkin, songwriters (Sia) “Shake It Off,” Max Martin, Shellback & Taylor Swift, songwriters (Taylor Swift) **Winner** “Stay With Me (Darkchild Version),” James Napier, William Phillips & Sam Smith, songwriters (Sam Smith) “Take Me To Church,” Andrew Hozier-Byrne, songwriter (Hozier) Best New Artist Iggy Azalea Bastille Brandy Clark...
- 2/8/2015
- by Donna Dickens
- Hitfix
Hans Zimmer's "Inception" score is, in a word, amazing. But musician David Chen has taken it to the next level. He posted this beautiful and hypnotic looping cello version of one of Zimmer's most memorable musical moments, "Time." It's so fascinating to watch the score come together from its disparate parts, you may need to watch it again just to make sure it's really happening.
Check out New From Moviefone on LockerDome on LockerDome...
Check out New From Moviefone on LockerDome on LockerDome...
- 11/6/2014
- by Moviefone Staff
- Moviefone
I’ve always loved hearing filmmakers discuss movies. We’ve often printed interviews where we ask filmmakers about their favorite films and the /Filmcast has tried to bring on directors to review the latest big screen movies. That hasn’t been as constant of a feature as David Chen and I originally planned, because as it turns out, […]
The post ‘Donnie Darko’ director Richard Kelly reviews David Fincher’s ‘Gone Girl’ appeared first on /Film.
The post ‘Donnie Darko’ director Richard Kelly reviews David Fincher’s ‘Gone Girl’ appeared first on /Film.
- 10/6/2014
- by Peter Sciretta
- Slash Film
The best movie culture writing from around the internet-o-sphere. There will be a quiz later. Just leave a tab open for us, will ya? “Making a Movie: Five Things I Wish I’d Known” — David Chen at Slashfilm has made a documentary featuring podcast pal Stephen Tobolowsky, and he’d like to offer these tips to Past David Chen so that he can pave an easier path for the film to take. It’s a fantastic read even if you aren’t planning on making a movie, but if you are, get to know E&O Insurance and why you need it. An excellent mini-primer on what to do before you start filming. “Jake Gyllenhaal on Losing 30 Pounds and Himself in Nightcrawler” — Ramin Setoodeh at Variety speaks with the actor (who improvised slamming his fist into a mirror during filming, only to slice his hand open) to understand what propelled him during the production of his crime...
- 9/3/2014
- by Scott Beggs
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
In December 2013, David Chen released a short documentary on /Film titled Scarecrow Video: An Inside Look at the World’s Biggest Independent Video Store (watch that video here). Scarecrow Video in Seattle is the largest independent video store on the planet. The store is not just a collection of movies trapped in old physical media, […]
The post Help Preserve World’s Largest Home Video Collection appeared first on /Film.
The post Help Preserve World’s Largest Home Video Collection appeared first on /Film.
- 8/12/2014
- by Peter Sciretta
- Slash Film
Long before Rian Johnson was directing Star Wars movies, the writer/director was a frequent guest on the /Filmcast. Johnson, who directed Brick, The Brothers Bloom, Looper and Breaking Bad, has appeared on the show numerous times to discuss a broad range of topics, and to make fun of host David Chen. One of those topics, oddly […]
The post Hear Star Wars 8 Director Rian Johnson Review Star Wars 7 Director J.J. Abrams’ ‘Star Trek’ appeared first on /Film.
The post Hear Star Wars 8 Director Rian Johnson Review Star Wars 7 Director J.J. Abrams’ ‘Star Trek’ appeared first on /Film.
- 6/20/2014
- by Germain Lussier
- Slash Film
We here at /Film love How To Train Your Dragon. In fact, our own David Chen saw it in theaters seven times. Seven. Times. So it’s been a long four years as we waited for director Dean DeBlois to show us the second chapter in his family fantasy story, based on the books by Cressida Cowell. […]
The post ‘How To Train Your Dragon 2′ – What Did You Think? appeared first on /Film.
The post ‘How To Train Your Dragon 2′ – What Did You Think? appeared first on /Film.
- 6/14/2014
- by Germain Lussier
- Slash Film
In my opinion Gareth Evans, the director of The Raid and The Raid 2, is the greatest action director working right now. What he did in those films is glorious and mind blowing. During a recent interview with /Film's David Chen, the director listed his top five action scenes in film. These are obviously scenes that have inspired him over the years to be the incredible director that he has become. The interview features clips from the films on his list and he explains in detail what he loves about each one of them. Those films are:
Wheels on Meals (1984) - Jackie Chan vs. Benny "The Jet" Urquidez
Armor of God (1986) - Jackie Chan vs. The Monks
The Live (1988) - Rowdy Roddy Pipewr vs. Keith David
Police Story 1 (1985) - Jackie Chan vs. Everybody
Fist of Legend (1994) - Jet Li vs. Yasuaki Kurata
The guy obviously loves Jackie Chan's work,...
Wheels on Meals (1984) - Jackie Chan vs. Benny "The Jet" Urquidez
Armor of God (1986) - Jackie Chan vs. The Monks
The Live (1988) - Rowdy Roddy Pipewr vs. Keith David
Police Story 1 (1985) - Jackie Chan vs. Everybody
Fist of Legend (1994) - Jet Li vs. Yasuaki Kurata
The guy obviously loves Jackie Chan's work,...
- 4/22/2014
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
The world remains captivated by "Let It Go," the Oscar-winning piano ballad from Disney's animated smash, Frozen. But what's missing? Ahh, yes, sex scenes and fire-breathing dragons. Enter "Let It Go(T)," a YouTube mash-up which pairs that track's musical backing with images from (and new lyrics inspired by) the HBO fantasy series Game of Thrones.
Top 40 'Game of Thrones' Characters, Ranked
"Winter's been coming for seasons," belts Gail Folsom in dramatic fashion, over a montage of grand landscapes. "So why is it still green?" From there, she...
Top 40 'Game of Thrones' Characters, Ranked
"Winter's been coming for seasons," belts Gail Folsom in dramatic fashion, over a montage of grand landscapes. "So why is it still green?" From there, she...
- 4/18/2014
- Rollingstone.com
Darren Aronofsky's "Noah" has already made $44 million at the box office, and the writer-director’s vision of the famed story from Genesis is big, burly and as expansive as it is expensive. It's prompted responses from a broad spectrum of audience members, film critics, the faithful and -- perhaps most expectedly -- film critics and journalists who are believers, like Justin Chang's excellent piece at Variety or David Chen's discussion at Slashfilm. The question that isn't being asked in all of this, though, pertains to the other side of the ideas, cultural cues and traditions from which "Noah" springs — namely, do you have to be a believer to enjoy "Noah?" I ask this question specifically because I am not a believer in any religious tradition or idea of God; in fact, I dislike the term "atheist" specifically because like, say, "Marvel Cinematic Universe," it's a term that gives...
- 4/2/2014
- by James Rocchi
- Indiewire
Last month we told you about SlashFilm's endeavor to take the stories of character actor Stephen Tobolowsky that have made their podcast The Tobolowsky Files so entertaining and turn them into concert documentary film. The project, tentatively titled The Primary Instinct, has already met and exceeded its goal on Kickstarter, but you can still support the film with donations if you want (movies are expensive after all). As part of development, SlashFilm and podcast creator/host David Chen have teamed with a production company called Super Frog Saves Tokyo, and they've made a teaser for the doc. Watch! Here's the teaser trailer for SlashFilm's Stephen Tobolowsky movie The Primary Instinct: As you can see, Tobolowsky has been all over the place, and he has some great stories to tell. The trailer was made for free just as a sort of test to show how cool this little project can be.
- 3/20/2014
- by Ethan Anderton
- firstshowing.net
The best movie culture writing from around the internet-o-sphere. There will be a quiz later. Just leave a tab open for us, will ya? “Comedy First” — Tad Friend’s essential writing on Harold Ramis. It’s only available for a short time, but it’s an amazing profile of the comedic filmmaker and why his movies have lasting power. “The cognitive dissonance of disagreeing with great directors about their work” — Noel Murray at The Dissolve explores the funny feeling when you love a movie its director hates. “Film Criticism: State of the Art” — From Twitter to Rotten Tomatoes to the loss of Roger Ebert, Danny Bowes at CriticWire examines the crossroads at which professional criticism finds itself. “2014 is The Year We Make a Movie With Stephen Tobolowsky” — David Chen at /film is kickstarting The Tobolowsky Files Podcast into a movie. “John Landis on Harold Ramis: He Was Very Angry Not to Be Cast in Animal House” — Wouldn...
- 2/25/2014
- by Scott Beggs
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
While you might not know Stephen Tobolowsky by name, you've certainly seen him in countless films like Groundhog Day (Ned! Ryerson!), Spaceballs, Sneakers, Radioland Murders, The Insider and Memento, and his voice is unmistakable in Robots, Buried and The Lorax. Plus, there's all the TV appearances on shows like "Glee" and "Heroes." Our friends as SlashFilm and writer David Chen have been host to the unique and fascinating podcast The Tobolowsky Files, and now they're trying to turn some of the actor's stories (now available in a book) into a concert documentary film, and they need help. SlashFilm and David Chen have taken to Kickstarter to help fund the film The Primary Instinct: If you donate the right amount, you can have the opportunity to meet Tobolowsky backstage at one of the live shows, or even have him perform a private show for you and 20 of your friends. Other rewards...
- 2/24/2014
- by Ethan Anderton
- firstshowing.net
The best movie culture writing from around the internet-o-sphere. There will be a quiz later. Just leave a tab open for us, will ya? “A Brief History of Harvey Weinstein’s Oscar Campaign Shenanigans” — Jesse David Fox teaches all of us how to score gold from AMPAS with notes from the master. “Watch This: Edgar Wright Explores the Art of the Close-Ups” — David Chen at /film teams with Wright to explore the versatility of shoving images right in your face. Plus, it’s a video, so it’s really easy to read. “Why practical effects and stunts are still the best” — Matt Singer makes a case that everyone agrees with (while being thrown through a sugar glass window). “It’s Not You , It’s Me — the Comic-Con Break Up” — R.M. Peavy at Epic Geekdom explains why a trip to San Diego isn’t in the cards this year. The site may need to find a new...
- 1/30/2014
- by Scott Beggs
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
This is totally awesome! If you're a fan of Edgar Wright's movies, or a filmmaker or editor or Dp, or just an interested movie lover, this is a must watch video essay. SlashFilm's video mastermind David Chen has delivered another video essay, this one The Art of Close-Ups with Edgar Wright. The video features an 8-minute explanation on close-ups from Edgar Wright, with footage edited together to show exactly what he's talking about, from the "tool-up" close-ups, to the "whip-pan", to advert pack shots, to forcing timing in scenes and more. It's an enjoyable, in-depth look at one of the many tools filmmakers use, and fun to watch. Watch the The Art of Close-Ups with Edgar Wright video by David Chen, originally from SlashFilm: Thanks again to SlashFilm for making and posting this video. Chen explains that he was "blown away by the close-ups" in Shaun of the Dead,...
- 1/29/2014
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Video stores are virtually dead, and with Blockbuster going away and little independent video stores closing down all over the country, it's not hard to imagine that one day there will be none left. I spent a lot of my childhood in these kinds of video stores, and it's weird to think that my kids won't have those same experiences.
We have a short documentary for you to check out today that was produced by /Film's David Chen called Inside Scarecrow Video. It focuses on the largest independent video store in the world. The store holds 117,000 video titles, and is "revered and admired, counting filmmakers like Bernardo Bertolucci and Quentin Tarantino as previous visitors." Here's are some technical details on the doc for those of you who are interested.
A revealing look inside Scarecrow Video, the largest independent video store in the world. Filmed using a Black Magic Pocket Cinema...
We have a short documentary for you to check out today that was produced by /Film's David Chen called Inside Scarecrow Video. It focuses on the largest independent video store in the world. The store holds 117,000 video titles, and is "revered and admired, counting filmmakers like Bernardo Bertolucci and Quentin Tarantino as previous visitors." Here's are some technical details on the doc for those of you who are interested.
A revealing look inside Scarecrow Video, the largest independent video store in the world. Filmed using a Black Magic Pocket Cinema...
- 12/13/2013
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
"You always think you'd seen everything, you always think you would run out of stuff, but it's just not possible." While Blockbuster may be dead, the "video store" still lives on thanks to independent shops like Cinefile Video in La, Kim's Video in New York and Scarecrow Video in Seattle. You may not be familiar with that last one, but this fascinating short doc/video will get you up to speed with Scarecrow. Produced by David Chen of SlashFilm, the video takes us inside the doors of the self-proclaimed "largest independent video store" in the world, exploring their massive collection with the help of enthusiastic employees. Enjoy! Watch the 10 min "Inside Scarecrow Video: The Largest Independent Video Store in the World": Thanks to SlashFilm for posting this video directly to YouTube. To find the address for or more info about Scarecrow Video, visit their website here. Chen explains how...
- 12/11/2013
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
It all kicks off at 9am Pacific. After raising $10,000 for FilmAid, David Chen and the /Filmcast family are making good on their offer to rock a 10-hour podcasting marathon, and since it’s done like a reverse-telethon, no one will be constantly promising you tote bags in return for your money. That leaves more time to talk with an excellent lineup of guests. The sad part? No tote bags. Rian Johnson is batting first, followed by the 10am segment with me and David Wain, followed by an 11am with Damon Lindelof. And then, 7 more hours of filmmaker guests and shenanigans. So bookmark this page and plan to camp out there all day today. If you need more incentive, here’s the full lineup: All times are Pacific 9 Am – 10 Am: Writer/Director Rian Johnson 10 Am – 11 Am: Writer/Director/Actor David Wain (with Scott Beggs from FilmSchoolRejects) 11 Am – noon: Writer/Producer Damon Lindelof noon – 1 Pm: Director Bryan Singer and...
- 3/30/2013
- by Scott Beggs
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
What is Movie News After Dark? It’s a nightly movie news column that brings you only the best. Or the rest. At this point, it could go either way. It’s important to start your day off right with a hearty breakfast. After a long night of binge drinking and carefully placing typos in this very column (I know you’re watching), I often wake up feeling pretty rough. So a good breakfast is huge in my world. What could be better than some Breaking Bad blue meth donuts? No one motivates like Heisenberg. Donuts, bitch. 1. The Ones Who Knock – Speaking of Breaking Bad, how about that last episode? Did you ever think that Walt Jr. would kill his aunt Marie? I knew that klepto-bitch had it coming. Anyway, that’s probably not a topic of discussion on this week’s crystal blue podcast with Joanna Robinson (swoon) and David Chen (also swoon). Why? Because...
- 8/30/2012
- by Neil Miller
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
What is Movie News After Dark? It’s a column about things and stuff. Mostly movies, a little television, all worth reading. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better assortment of things to read without having to dig through the same story 35 times in your RSS reader. We do that part for you. We begin this evening with a first look at Cloud Atlas, the upcoming film from the Wachowskis and director Tom Tykwer. This one features a man (Tom Hanks) who comes into contact with an emissary from an alien world. They both look frightened. 1. The Ones Who Knock – Two of my favorite podcasters, Joanna Robinson and David Chen, have continued their work together despite their very active Twitter commitments to perform weekly dissections of Breaking Bad. It’s pretty solid, if you’ve got the time. 2. 10 things we wanted to see in the Man of Steel teaser – HitFix echoes the thoughts of many fans...
- 7/26/2012
- by Neil Miller
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
The following article was a collaboration between David Chen, Peter Sciretta, and Germain Lussier. Between those of us at /Film, we’ve already seen The Dark Knight Rises several times and have found that many questions and problems still linger in our minds (see Dave’s review and Germain’s review). What’s consistently baffling about Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy is [...]...
- 7/23/2012
- by SlashFilm Staff
- Slash Film
What is Movie News After Dark? It’s a nightly entertainment news column that keeps it brief, kicks it into high gear without mercy and delivers all the news that you may or may not have seen elsewhere, depending upon how hard you’ve been looking. We begin this evening with Zombie Spock. No, there’s not much of a good reason for it. It was found via /Film and can be purchased on a t-shirt, which you can then wear around and show off to your friends. Don’t ever say that we don’t provide valuable public service announcements. And now on to Game of Thrones. Two things. Both of them involve Pajiba’s Joanna Robinson. Don’t deny that you, like me, have a nerd crush. Okay, so maybe it’s just me. Anyway, she’s written a delightful list of 41 Reasons Why We’ll Miss Game of Thrones. There...
- 6/7/2012
- by Neil Miller
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
March 2, 2012. I am headed back to Los Angeles after performing "The Tobolowsky Files" live as a fundraiser for the Independent Film Festival Boston and at the Bell House in Brooklyn as a fundraiser for me. "The Files" are stories I began writing when I was recovering from a broken neck four years ago. The project depicts what actors always have to do: make lemonade when you have lemons. In my case it was making lemonade in a neck brace. Following the theory that one thing often leads to another, first David Chen at Slashfilm recorded the stories, and then they became a popular download on iTunes, which led to their being picked up by public radio, most notably by Kuow in Seattle and Wfpl in Louisville, Ky. That led to a book deal with Simon & Schuster. Now they have become a one-man theatrical performance.An actor has a...
- 3/31/2012
- by help@backstage.com (Stephen Tobolowsky)
- backstage.com
In this bonus episode, David Chen and Adam Quigley chat with Matt Singer from Indiewire about their reactions to the 84th annual Academy Awards. Who was snubbed? Who was justly rewarded? Tune in to find out! You can always e-mail us at slashfilmcast(At)gmail(Dot)com, or call and leave a voicemail at 781-583-1993. Join us for our next [...]...
- 3/1/2012
- by David Chen
- Slash Film
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